Basha softball is used to being the hunted, not the hunter. But with Xavier visiting on Tuesday afternoon with an unbeaten mark in power-point games and 16-game winning streak overall, it made for an appetizing matchup for the home team.

"It's always motivation when you play good competition," Basha coach Scott Hoffmeyer said. "It's fun to play good teams."

Basha had the most  fun Tuesday, building a 6-1 lead through four innings and holding on in the seventh to trim Xavier, 6-4, in a matchup of top teams in Division I. The loss was only the second this season for Xavier, now 23-2 ovearall and 14-1 in power-point games. 

Basha (24-4 overall and 13-1 ppg) achievedsuccess in part by wearing down Xavier starter Natalie Both. Both, determined to jam Basha hitters, was ablefind then inside part of the plate often the first three innings. But going deep in counts to most hitters two times through the order, caught up with Both. She walked four and hit two batters in the first three innings. A double and sacrifice fly in the third by Nicole Matta and Brittany Medina, respectively, broke a 1-1 tie and gave Basha the lead for good at 3-1.

Basha added three runs off Both in the fourth, using a walk to Courtney Hiruko, single by Hailey Maher and double by winning pitcher Kailey Regester to begin the frame. That sequence ended the day for Both. Katy Watson relieved Both, who gave up a walk and hit before the inning ended with Basha up 6-1. Watson retired eight of the last 10 hitters she faced.

"Our approach was to outlast (Both)," Hoffmeyer said. "I think by the middle innings that was the case. She started throwing us some good pitches to hit."

Xavier ended up outhitting Basha, 9-6. The Gators showed their mettle by scoring three times in the seventh (a three-run homer to center by hot-hitting Megan Ward). Xavier had the tying run at the plate with two outs in the seventh, but Regester came back in a 3-1 count to fan Daniella Maldonado to end the game.

Regester fanned nine and walked just one batter, another key to the Bears' win.

"Kailey's walk-to-strikeout ratio was huge," Hoffmeyer said. "In games like this you want as few free bases as possible. She did a good jobthere."

Basha had six players drive in a run. Besides Matt and Medina in the third, Hiruko, Regester, Theresa Asta and Haillee Siroky contributed with that stat. Ward, Katie Park and Mallory Belknap had two hits apiece for Xavier.